taking pill

A youth pill that blends 30 different vitamins and minerals may reverse ageing of the brain.

Early tests have shown the formula stopped brain cell loss and even reversed damage.

It is hoped the pill will one day be used to treat dementia, including Alzheimer’s, as well as Parkinson’s

The formula contains a blend of ingredients widely available in health food stores, including vitamins B, C, D, folic acid, cod liver oil and green tea extract. Scientists say that early test results have been ‘dramatic’.

Studies have been going on for more than a decade. In the latest, mice that had lost more than half their brain cells showed incredible improvements. Over time the brain cell loss was eliminated and cognitive decline stopped.

It is hoped that neuron loss in patients with Alzheimer’s, motor neurone disease and Parkinson’s  may be prevented and even reversed.

The mice also showed improvement in balance, motor activity and vision. Their sense of smell, too, improved. Loss of sense of smell is often associated with brain damage.  And mice that were 70 or 80 in human years lost their frailty and began running around their cages like youngsters.

Research has shown the supplements affect the mitochondria, which power cells by generating the energy they need. The mix caused the mitochondria to produce less free radicals, which are thought to be the cause of ageing.

A test of the supplement cocktail on crickets saw their lifespan more than double.

Professor Jennifer Lemon, who led the latest study in Ontario, says that she hopes one day the supplement mix will be available over the counter in a one-stop anti-ageing pill.